The Cardinals wanted to draft Patrick Mahomes, and it would have changed the NFL

There are such a lot of unimaginable “what ifs?” on the subject of the NFL, however the newest from Bruce Arians would have drastically altered the league in methods which are unfathomable. Three of the final 5 Tremendous Bowls would have been totally different, and the following dominoes would have fully modified the league.

Showing on Pardon My Take Wednesday, Arians mentioned that the Cardinals have been concentrating on Patrick Mahomes within the 2017 NFL Draft, and believed he would fall to them — till the Chiefs stunned them and took the quarterback.

“As that draft was falling I used to be like ‘He’s ours.’ It’s both him or Deshaun. However Pat, he was proper there — Kansas Metropolis doesn’t want a quarterback. They take him, and I used to be like ‘what?’ They’d Alex Smith … simply went to a Professional Bowl. We beloved him”

It’s straightforward to neglect now, however the Chiefs taking Mahomes was a shocker on the time. Clearly the crew wanted to start out planning for the longer term on the place on condition that Alex Smith was 32-years-old, however coming off a 12-4 season it appeared unlikely Kansas Metropolis would search for a passer, not to mention commerce up from No. 27 to No. 10 to get one. So as to add one other layer the Chiefs took Mahomes over Deshaun Watson, who was broadly regarded to be the higher quarterback by draft consultants.

Clearly we all know this was one an absolute stroke of genius. The Chiefs received top-of-the-line quarterbacks within the NFL, and a participant who has a really actual probability to be one of many best of all-time if his type holds — all whereas managing to by no means backside out.

Think about for a second that didn’t occur. The Chiefs determine to face pat as an alternative of buying and selling up for Pat — what occurs to the remainder of the league?

The 2017 Draft

The Payments clearly didn’t really feel they wanted a quarterback for quite a lot of causes. They have been nonetheless recovering from whiffing on E.J. Manuel, and Tyrod Taylor was coming off a promising two-year run that confirmed potential he could possibly be a long-term choice.

A significant weak point was now obvious at cornerback. Stephon Gilmore left in free company for the Patriots, leaving an enormous gap that wanted to be plugged. There’s each probability the Payments draft Marshon Lattimore at No. 10, leaving each quarterbacks on the board. The Saints then take Marlon Humphrey at No. 11, as a result of they want a defensive again too.

With yet another choose earlier than the Cardinals are on the clock, the Texans commerce up similar to they did in 2017 to take Watson, which was the logical determination primarily based on most draft boards. The Cardinals then choose Patrick Mahomes with the No. 13 choose.

What occurs to the Chiefs?

Alex Smith had an important 2017 earlier than falling off. The Chiefs play out by way of Alex Smith’s decline and are confronted with back-to-back shallow quarterback courses in 2019 and 2020, unable to actually discover a good substitute.

They don’t win the Tremendous Bowl in 2020, and are probably nonetheless looking for a franchise quarterback at the moment.

What occurs to the Cardinals?

It’s nearly unimaginable to know simply how dangerous Arizona’s quarterback room was in 2016. Carson Palmer was on his final legs, and the opposite choices have been Blaine Gabbert and Drew Stanton. This crew desperately wanted a brand new quarterback, so what in the event that they landed Mahomes within the 2017 draft?

Firstly, the crew has a future. Palmer remains to be the starter, however Mahomes is ready to take over for him as an alternative. Understanding Pat has the chops to be a future franchise quarterback it’s completely probably Bruce Arians decides to not retire from the NFL after the 2017 season and stays in Arizona, believing they’ve an opportunity to win a Tremendous Bowl.

It’s unclear in the event that they obtain that purpose, however with Mahomes there’s each risk we’re wanting on the Cardinals successful in 2020, with Larry Fitzgerald retiring from the NFL with the Tremendous Bowl ring he so deserved.

What different fallout occurs on account of Mahomes going to Arizona as an alternative?

Whereas the change in fortunes for the Chiefs and Cardinals is pretty straightforward to trace on account of Pat Mahomes taking part in for a unique crew, the opposite dominoes are even wilder to think about.

• The Chiefs choose up Nick Foles’ second yr choice in 2017 to again up Alex Smith, and see if he can develop into their starter. Consequently he doesn’t go to Philadelphia. The Eagles don’t have a participant they’ll flip to when Carson Wentz is harm, and so they don’t win the Tremendous Bowl.
• Bruce Arians stays in Arizona, which suggests the Buccaneers don’t have him to be their new head coach in 2019. It’s unlikely Tom Brady elects to come back to Tampa Bay with out a longtime and confirmed head coach in place. As a substitute Brady goes to the Dolphins, who have been seen because the second most definitely crew to land TB12.
• Determined to win now, the Buccaneers might doubtlessly develop into the crew to commerce for Matthew Stafford as an alternative of the Rams.
• Kliff Kingsbury turns into the top coach of the Jets in 2019, the place he interviewed previous to Arizona — and New York might have been the crew to draft Kyler Murray as an alternative.

If Mahomes went to the Cardinals the NFL wouldn’t look remotely the identical

That’s what’s so enjoyable about imagining how one change alters the NFL. It simply occurs that Mahomes, being top-of-the-line gamers within the NFL, brought on much more dominoes to shift than anybody else in current reminiscence.

There are much more questions left unanswered if this got here to go. Would Andy Reid have lasted in KC? Would Tom Brady have retired if he didn’t succeed once more? The eventualities preserve mounting and can twist your mind right into a pretzel.

Because it stands the Chiefs are in a tremendous place, the Cardinals are in a great place — and the remaining is historical past.